'No intent of racial discrimination,' explains Vandeira... League plans to request explanation from Chungbuk Cheongju, possibility of disciplinary committee referral

*This content was translated by AI.

As Vandeira (25), a foreign player for K League 2 club Chungbuk Cheongju FC, became embroiled in controversy over racial discrimination following his social media (SNS) posts, the Korea Professional Football Federation also plans to verify the facts.

A federation official told StarNews on the 3rd that they intend to request an explanation from Chungbuk Cheongju regarding Vandeira's SNS posts.

The official added, "We have verbally informed the club of the relevant details, but no official letter has been sent yet. After reviewing the explanation, if we determine a referral to the disciplinary committee is necessary, we can proceed with the related procedures."

Previously, on the 1st, after the Hana Bank K League 2 2026 Round 20 match between Chungbuk Cheongju and Suwon Samsung Bluewings at Cheongju Stadium, Vandeira shared the controversial post on his SNS.

Vandeira posted several banana emojis along with footage from the match against Suwon. Another post included a combination of emojis in the form of 'banana + banana = gorilla.'

Some soccer fans expressed strong displeasure through online communities, stating that the post could be interpreted as racially discriminatory.

In particular, the match ended in a 2-2 draw amid various controversies, including the disallowance of Suwon's late equalizer. With debates over the match officiating continuing, Vandeira's posts further fueled the controversy.

Vandeira later posted an explanation in Hangul, asserting that there was absolutely no intent of racial discrimination.

Vandeira explained, "The post was a story shared by my African friend living in Portugal to celebrate the assists I recorded in my last two matches."

He continued, "In Portugal, assists are often expressed with bananas. I simply shared my friend's congratulations with gratitude; there was absolutely no intent of racial discrimination or any intention to belittle a specific person."

He also mentioned his family background.

Vandeira stated, "My parents are from Africa, and I have grown up with families of diverse cultures and backgrounds. Therefore, racial discrimination and discriminatory expressions are values I absolutely do not aspire to."

However, he acknowledged that people who saw the post may have felt uncomfortable despite his intentions.

He said, "Regardless of my intent, I am taking seriously the fact that some people felt uncomfortable after seeing the post."

He added, "While playing in Korea, I have learned about Korean culture, emotions, and the importance of social responsibility. In the future, I will act more carefully and strive to show myself as a player who does not disappoint many people."

Although Vandeira posted his own explanation, the controversy has not completely subsided. The Korea Professional Football Federation also decided to request an explanation from Chungbuk Cheongju. They will subsequently decide whether to refer the case to the disciplinary committee.

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*This content was translated by AI.